A backlight included in a liquid crystal display device conventionally uses lamps such as cold cathode tubes. A simple explanation of a general method for manufacturing the backlight follows. First, a lamp maker produces cold cathode tubes, and subsequently harnesses to be connected to an inverter board are soldered to lead terminals provided on respective end portions of each cold cathode tube. The resultant structures are packed and transferred to a maker of backlights or a maker of liquid crystal display devices. In the maker of backlights or the maker of liquid crystal display devices, components such as cold cathode tubes are mounted to the chassis of a backlight, and the connectors provided on the above harnesses are plugged into the inverter board.
According to the above manufacturing method, the soldering of harnesses to the lead terminals of each cold cathode tube and/or the insertion of connectors of the harnesses may result in increased operating time or increased cost. In this connection, Patent Document 1 below describes an example of a manufacturing method that enables reduction of soldering to cold cathode tubes. According to the method, ferrules are attached to the glass tube of each cold cathode tube, so as to cover the respective end portions thereof and be connected to electrodes provided therein. On the other hand, connecting terminals connected to the inverter board are provided on the chassis side. The ferrules can be brought into elastic contact with spring portions of the connecting terminals in the course of mounting cold cathode tubes. Thereby, the direct soldering to the cold cathode tubes can be eliminated.
On the other hand, a method described in Patent Document 2 below is known as a manufacturing method of cold cathode tubes. According to the method, while a cylindrical glass tube having openings at both ends is held in the upright position, a solution obtained by dissolving phosphor in a solvent is pulled therein through the opening so as to subsequently run down. Thereby, the phosphor is applied to the inner circumferential surface of the glass tube. Thereafter, one end portion of the glass tube is closed (or primarily sealed) after an electrode is set therein, and then the other end portion is closed (or secondarily sealed) after an electrode is set therein. Thus, cold cathode tubes can be manufactured.    Patent Document 1: JP-A-H7-218729    Patent Document 2: JP-A-H9-17329